Something Wicked
by MandyK
Summary: SGA1 get more than they bargained for when Dr.McKay unleashes something untoward on a paradise planet
1. Default Chapter

SOMETHING WICKED……

The wormhole snapped shut behind the four members of SGA1, who stood on the platform in front of the gate, looking around them wonderingly. The MALP had shown this to be a planet of rolling green meadows, at least around the gate area, with an atmosphere that would sustain human life, but it hadn't done the planet justice. For a moment longer, they stood there, then Major Sheppard moved forward gulping in great breaths of the air as he did so. The other three members of the team followed on, all of them breathing deeply, filling their lungs with the wonderful air.

The MALP had also shown energy readings that had McKay almost salivating, and it was towards this reading that they were making their way now. However, it was impossible to hurry. They were wading through a shallow sea of green grass, gently swaying in the breeze and starred with copious wild flowers, pink, white, blue, yellow…

The sun was shining, it appeared to be mid-morning here, and the air was warm and fragrant with the smells of growing things. Insects droned and hummed sleepily as they went about their business, tiny iridescent birds flashed from flower to flower, and far away to their left, the sun glinted off a large body of water. Ahead of them, rising from the grassy plain was a range of mountains, purplish in the clear air, some of them snowcapped.

The gentle breeze blew, lifting Teyla's hair away from her face, keeping the temperature down to comfortable. Even Mckay wasn't complaining. They'd been walking for a while now, so Major Sheppard raised a hand and said, "Let's take five."

Eagerly all four divested themselves of the heavy packs they all wore, using them to lean against as they sat in the long grass, weapons to hand, just in case. For a while, no-one said anything, all enjoying the peaceful feelings that this planet was generating. Sheppard leaned back, closed his eyes, and said, "This is nice. We could do with having somewhere like this for a little RR"

"Mmmmm," agreed Ford. "I haven't felt as relaxed as this since – I don't know when."

McKay was busy downing the last remains of an energy bar, but he swallowed quickly and said, "Ah. But every Eden has it's serpent. The air here is wonderful though. I wonder why?" He got out one of his science – scanner thingies and waved it around looking thoughtful. "Nothing showing up here," he offered eventually.

Ford looked at him amused. "Maybe there's something in the air making us all high," he ventured. "Something like a great big joint." He almost laughed at the comical expression that crossed McKay's face.

Rodney grabbed at his scanner again. "Do you think so?" he questioned nervously. "Nothing showing up here except for the usual, oxygen, nitrogen stuff."

"Relax, Rodney," Murmured Sheppard. "Ford's just winding you up."

"Hah! Easy for you to say, you didn't read the report from SG1 when they went to the planet with the addictive light. They had to stay there for weeks while it worked itself out of their systems."

"Whew," from Sheppard. "Well, if we are all stoned, we'll have to deal with it when we get home. Nothing we can do about it now, except enjoy it."

Teyla had been silent throughout the exchange, not even picking up on the Eden – serpent thing. Sheppard looked over, she was busy weaving flowers into a chain.

"Daisy chains ?" he questioned, amusement in his eyes.

Teyla blushed slightly. "I used to do this as a child," she replied. "It has not felt appropriate to do so for a long time. The air here _is_intoxicating."

"Yeah," said Ford, "It's like breathing in champagne."

"Champagne?" from Teyla.

"It's an alcoholic beverage from Earth, made from fermented grapes, and it's sparkling- fizzy. It's held in high regard," replied McKay.

"It sounds nice." Teyla said.

"Yes, it is, and nice as this is, we still have a community to provide for, so let's go," ordered the Major, reluctantly standing and shrugging on his pack again. Sighing, the rest of the team stood and shouldered their packs again. They started walking, feet trailing in the soft grass.

"How much further?" questioned Sheppard after a while, sounding to his own ears too much like a petulant child.

McKay consulted his doohickey and gestured off ahead. "Oh, about a mile or so this way," he said offhandedly, "Shouldn't take too long."

The team carried on at a slow amble, the soporific affect of the air slowing them down. Ford and Sheppard couldn't help but be a little distracted by the large pink flower Teyla had tucked behind her ear, while McKay was engrossed in his energy readings.

"We should talk to Dr. Wier about designating this planet as a resort area," said Ford, still in that relaxed way.

McKay, though feeling the effects himself couldn't help but comment, " Why don't we wait until we see how long we have to spend in the infirmary going cold turkey first?"

Teyla looked confused. "Cold turkey?" she asked.

"He means withdrawing from the effects of addictive substances," clarified Sheppard, and to McKay "It won't be that bad, and anyway, I thought you liked hospital food."

"There is such a thing as too much of a good thing," muttered McKay in response."Ah, here we are." He said brightly, looking up from his gadget.

The team stood and stared. Ahead of them was a low building, set into the hillside. It was made of a pure white material that almost seemed to glow in the sunlight, but despite it's aesthetic loveliness there was an aura of unease surrounding it. They walked slowly forward, their earlier euphoria dissipating the closer they got to the building. A wall stood around it, not high, but presenting the appearance of a barrier nonetheless. A gate was set into the wall, directly in front of them. Sheppard opened it, and they stepped through, keeping close together. As they crossed into the grounds surrounding the structure, the sunshine appeared to dim, and the air felt much colder, despite the fact that the sun was still shining brightly. The silence became profound.

"Can you hear it?" asked McKay.

"Hear what?" replied Sheppard, uneasily scanning their immediate surroundings.

"Exactly." Responded Rodney, smugly.

"McKay," began the major.

Teyla interjected. "There is no birdsong or insect noise in here"

Sheppard looked at them questioningly, then stepped back through the gate. Immediately he was aware of the return of natural noises and the air felt distinctly warmer. He stepped back towards his team, and the birdsong stopped.

"Some sort of energy shield?" he hazarded.

"Not according to this." McKay held up his sensor.

"Okay. Keep close everyone, and be sharp." Sheppard walked forward, resisting an urge to look over his shoulder.

The entrance to the building lay in shadow, and was open, but it looked uninviting, forbidding even. The team held back, reluctant to enter, but that was where the energy readings were coming from, according to McKay, so feelings had to be overcome. At last, Sheppard took point and entered through the doorway, P90 at the ready. McKay, Teyla and Ford crowded in behind him.

The building appeared to be empty, and somewhat relieved, Sheppard let his P90 drop to hang from it's clip.. The room in which they stood was a large open space, empty except for a pedestal set on a raised dais in the centre. The walls appeared to be covered in frescoes and murals but were muted in colour. The whole room, in contrast to the sparkling whiteness outside, was grey, sombre, even funereal. The colour scheme did nothing to raise their spirits.

"I wonder who they had as their interior decorator?" remarked Sheppard in an attempt to lighten the gloom, but his comments fell on deaf ears. McKay was waving his energy sensor around like a child in a toy shop, and Ford and Teyla were still near the entrance, looking as if they were ready to bolt at a moment's notice. Sheppard watched Mckay as he moved around the room, eventually crossing over to the dais in the centre, where he clambered up to examine the pedestal.

"Careful, Rodney," he said. "This place feels – off."

"Oh, really." Replied McKay sarcastically. "What gave it away?"

The Major ignored him, moving to stand next to Ford. "Ford, stay here with Dr. McKay while Teyla and I scout the perimeter.

Ford looked less than enthused about the order, but merely replied to the affirmative. McKay looked around.

"Actually, Major, I could use you here. I think that this may be ancient technology, and I may need you to use your gene to get to this energy source. It's got to be a ZPM or something equivalent to be giving off readings like this."

Sheppard looked resigned. "Okay, Ford, you and Teyla go scout around. I'll stay and be guinea-pig. Stay in radio contact every twenty minutes ."

"Roger that, sir," replied ford, trying not to look too relieved to be getting out of the building. The Major watched them leave, walking into the light, feeling his sense of foreboding increase. He turned to look at McKay again, Mckay who was toatally engrossed in what he was doing, muttering to himself as he worked.

"Need my gene yet, Rodney?" he asked sarcastically.

McKay never even looked up from what it was he was doing. "Not yet. I'm doing this all by myself so far."

"Mind if I check out the artwork?"

"Be my guest. Just – stop talking."

Shrugging, Sheppard strode off to look at the murals, more to pas the time than from any real interest. However, he hadn't been studying them for long when he began to feel acutely uncomfortable. He turned to McKay.

"Are you done?" He noticed that the scientist had both hands firmly placed in the centre of the top of the pedestal, and watched uneasily s McKay pushed down, depressing the centre panel of the column.

"Are you sure you should be doing that?"

"No, I'm not done, and no, I'm not sure, but nothing else moves, and I think that the ZPM or what ever might be hidden under this panel."

A low vibrating hum began to emanate from the column, gradually increasing in volume and intensity. It quickly became uncomfortable.

"Mckay-" began Sheppard.

"McKay began to look panicky. "I can't get my hands off-" he started.

The noise and vibration were increasing exponentially. It had gone from uncomfortable to downright painful, causing Sheppard to feel dizzy and disorientated. He couls swear his teeth were vibrating in his head.

"Major!" yelled McKay, now totally panicked.

Sheppard started across to him, staggering against the pulses of sound that were battering his body. He clamped his hands over his ears as the pain in them became intense. He noticed that McKay's ears were bleeding, the scarlet blood seeming even brighter in the grey building.

After what seemed an eternity, he reached McKay's side, and letting go his own ears, tried to prise Rodney's hands away from the pedestal. Nothing doing.

McKay was looking at him, eyes wide with fear, hoping the major could somehow undo what he was doing, and ,once again, get them the hell out of this mess. Sheppard's ears were bleeding too now. He could feel the warmth as the fluid trickled down his neck. The pedestal rocked, and Sheppard staggered back. It felt as if the whole building was shaking, pulsing in time with the vicious sound that was trying to scramble his brain. He took a few more unsteady steps back, then launched himself at McKay in a flying tackle just as the sound reached an unbearable crescendo, knocking McKay flying just as a huge white light imploded against them, travelling through McKay first, then flinging them both through space to land sprawling against the far wall, unconscious.

TBC


	2. Something Wicked part 2

SOMETHING WICKED part 2

Teyla and Ford were about a quarter of a mile away patrolling the perimeter they had been sent out to check, when Teyla stopped.

"Did you feel that?" she questioned.

"Ford paused. "I can't feel anything," he offered.

"No, it was a few seconds ago. It has stopped now."

Ford tapped the communications device in his ear. "Major Sheppard? Major, this is Ford. Please respond, over."

No response.

"Major, this is Ford, come in over."

Still no response.

"Maybe the building is blocking radio signals from getting through," he mused.

Teyla looked back the way they had come. "Perhaps we should return. I feel something is not right."

"Yeah," replied Ford, who also had an uneasy feeling. "Let's go."

The pair turned, and started back the way they had come.

Sheppard felt uncomfortable. Whatever he was lying on, it was too hard, and cold. He opened his eyes to find himself scant inches away from McKay's face.

"Urrrgh," he muttered, scrabbling backwards, only to discover the various bits of him that hurt.

"Oh, crap!" he thought, as the memory of what had happened started filtering back. Waveringly, he managed to get himself into a kneeling position by dint of climbing the wall, and, trying to ignore the throbbing in his head, scooted over to McKay's still form.

"Dr. McKay, Rodney, can you hear me?" he asked, checking for a pulse, and feeling for any obvious damage. Satisfied that the scientist appeared in one piece, at least on the outside, he sagged back in relief.

MCKay's eyes suddenly snapped open and the relief that Sheppard had felt was short lived. Instead, his breath seemed to freeze in his throat, and the cheery greeting he'd been about to give died on his lips. It was McKay's eyes that were looking at him, but it wasn't McKay that was looking out. John flinched back from the cold – evil – that seemed to emanate from the unwavering stare.

McKay sat straight up, the glare never wavering. Sheppard stared back, refusing to be intimidated. He knew that what was looking at him couldn't be Mckay. If it was, he'd be being subjected to a list of all the parts that hurt by now.

He watched as the McKay/creature stood, appearing to tower over him. Hastily he got to his feet, using the wall behind him for support, not willing to be at a disadvantage.

"You are Major Sheppard," the being stated. It wasn't a question, but Sheppard answered anyway. "Yep, that's me," he answered succinctly. "And you would be….?"

"You could not comprehend who I am."

"Try me."

"I am Blackness, Emptiness, Anger, Wrongdoing. You would say – evil."

Sheppard's expression never changed, but inside his mind was racing. "That's gonna be quite a mouthful to say every time I want to talk to you. I think I'll call you…Pete. Easier to remember," he deadpanned.

"You should fear me."

"Nah. I'll make myself a crucifix if I think you're getting too close. What have you done with Dr. McKay?"

The McKay/creature's eyes rolled backwards sickeningly, and Sheppard started forwards reflexively in case McKay was about to pass out. Instead, McKay's eyes returned to 'normal' again.

"Ah, McKay, the being whose body this is. He is here, merely……suppressed."

"Oh, he isn't going to like that."

"He has no choice in the matter. This body is mine now."

"Well, I don't agree. McKay was in it first. Possession is nine tenths of the law."

'Pete's lips curled in a sardonic smile. "As you say, possession is nine tenths of the law. And I am now possessing this body."

Sheppard cursed to himself. How did they get themselves into these situations?

"So, what happens now?" he asked 'Pete'.

"Now I am leaving. I have been incarcerated here far too long."

"I don't think so," answered Sheppard. I don't think you were in that – thing by your own choice. I think you should go back."

'Pete' whipped round to face the Major, a truly frightening expression on it's face. "I am never, never going back!" It advanced on Sheppard, who found himself with nowhere to go, leaning up as he already was against the wall. He tried, though, pressing himself as far into the wall as he could go. 'Pete' strode up to him, pushing his face into Sheppard's, invading his personal space . For a long moment, there was a standoff, then 'Pete' backed down, and Sheppard let go the breath he hadn't been aware he was holding.

"There is no need for unpleasantness," Pete stated. "After all, you were the ones who freed me. For that alone you deserve to live relatively unmolested."

Sheppard stood away from the wall, and moved towards the creature. "I can't let you go when you are holding one of my team hostage."

"You have no choice. I shall do as I please."

"Not gonna happen."

Without warning, Pete swung round and smashed a fist into Sheppard's unprepared midriff. The force of the blow sent him reeling back against the wall, where he stayed for a moment, trying to get back the breath that had been knocked out of him. He realised Pete was making his way to the exit, and ran forward to block his escape.

"I said," he croaked, "You're not going anywhere until you let Mckay go."

"You are persistant, but you will not stop me." Pete pushed the major out of the way, seemingly casually, but with enough force that Sheppard was sent sprawling in an undignified heap onto his butt. He watched with a sinking heart as Pete went towards the doorway, only to have hope rekindled when a forcefield appeared from nowhere, and sent Pete staggering back. Pete squealed his outrage, and lunged forwards again. This time, the field energy was sufficient that it sent pete flying backwards, where he lay unmoving at the foot of the pedestal.

Sheppard got to his feet, brought his P90 up to readiness, and slowly advanced on McKay's supine figure. It uttered a low moan.

"Ohhh, my head. Aargh, I've got pins and needles all over. What happened?"

"Rodney?" ventured Sheppard, still pointing his weapon.

"Major?" questioned McKay blinking up at him. "What are you doing?"

"Are you really Dr. McKay?" The gun never wavered.

"Am I ! Really, major. Who else would I be? Kavanaugh?" McKay smirked at his own witticism, but stopped when he saw that the Major still had his gun pointed at him with an 'I mean business' expression on his face.

"Major?" he faltered.

"Get up, slowly, and keep your hands where I can see them."

McKay did as he was told, but couldn't help but yelp, when he encountered another bit of himself that hurt.

Sheppard relaxed, and brought the weapon down, but never completely relaxed his hold on it.

"You really are McKay."

"Yes. I really am McKay. Not Dr. Weir, not Zelenka, McKay. I take it being McKay is good ?"

"Rodney, what happened when you messed with that device thing?"

"Well, you were there Major."

"Yeah, but I didn't have my hands all over it."

McKay took a step forwards, and Sheppard backed away, keeping a distance. It didn't go unnoticed. "I get the feeling you don't completely trust me." He stated. "And why does everything hurt."

"You don't remember?"

"If I remembered, why would I be asking?"

"Because a few minutes ago you weren't – you."

"Oh, please. I have a headache to end all headaches, and you're saying I'm not me?"

"When you activated that device, you released something, and it went into you. It sort of… possessed you."

"Have you been watching the Exorcist again? Possession!" McKay snorted his derision.

"I'm serious. A couple of minutes ago, you were telling me you were - well lets just say evil personified, then you tried to leave."

"So, how come I'm still here, and I'm now me?"

"There's a forcefield over the entrance, and when you or I should say, Pete, tried to leave, it knocked you flat, Then you, aka McKay is what woke up."

"A forcefield. Something evil possessing me. I think you're the one with scrambled brains."

"Don't believe me? Try the door."

McKay limped across to the open doorway, and tentatively reached out a hand. The field activated, and blue-white light rippled across it. McKay withdrew his hand hastily.

"Ow! That hurt."

He turned to look at the major. "Ok," he said. "So I'm 'possessed'. By what. Why can't I remember?." His eyes widened dramatically. "It's not a goa'ould, is it?" he whispered, looking really nervous.

"Your eyes didn't go all glowy."

"Oh, Good. What do I mean 'good'. I'm still possessed. How are we going to get it out? What does it want?"

McKay looked really scared.

"Rodney, calm down. It's not going anywhere while that forcefield is there, and I won't let it have you. We have to figure out a way to get rid of it, before it comes back."

McKay turned away. A shudder passed through him, and Sheppard went forward to put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He turned round, and immediately, Sheppard knew Pete was back.

"Oh, crap." He said.

"Too late, Major Sheppard, I am back, and you're going to get me out of here."

TBC

"


	3. Something Wicked part 3

SOMETHING WICKED part three

Teyla and Ford approached the low, white building with even more trepidation than before. If things had felt wrong then, it was ten times worse now. Ford motioned to Teyla to approach the entrance, but to keep out of sight. Teyla nodded her acknowledgement, and together they crept forward, one each side of the doorway, keeping low.

They arrived at the entrance at roughly the same time, and Ford motioned for Teyla to stay down. Then he risked poking his head around to look in. The quick glance turned to a frozen stare of disbelief. Quickly, he drew back then scuttled over to Teyla's position.

"Something's wrong with the Major," he stated.

"What?" asked Teyla, incredulous.

"Something's wrong with the Major," repeated Ford. "He's holding Dr. McKay at gunpoint."

"Then we must do something."

"I agree," concurred Ford. He scrambled back to his side of the door, keeping low. "We go in together, me in front," he whispered. "On my mark."

Teyla nodded, tightening her grip on her P90, watching as Ford, using hand signals counted down from three. On the three count, they both rose, fluidly, sighting down the barrels of their guns, and swung round to face the entrance. They rushed it, Ford slightly in front, hoping to catch the Major off guard long enough to disarm him. As Ford entered, he was catapulted backwards by a flash of blue light, and lay on the ground, stunned. Teyla took a final look at the entrance to ensure nothing was pointing their way, then backed off to Ford who was just beginning to stir.

"What the hell was that?" he choked out.

"I believe it is some kind of forcefield, designed perhaps to keep us out."

"Yeah, or maybe to keep them in."

"We must try to disarm it. We cannot help Dr. McKay or Major Sheppard otherwise."

Ford got shakily to his feet, and peered back inside. The major was now between McKay and the entrance, and was retreating steadily towards Ford's position. He still had his gun pointing at the scientist, but what Ford couldn't see was the twisted insane expression that distorted McKay's features. All he knew was that the Major looked as if he was about to shoot the Doctor.

Ford tapped his earpiece, hoping to talk the Major down. "Major, this is Ford, come in please."

No answer. Through the doorway, Ford could see the Major made no effort to answer his hail.

"Major Sheppard, please respond."

Still no reply. Ford gave it up, and turned toward Teyla.

"Teyla, go back to the gate, and dial up Atlantis. Ask Dr. Weir to send a security team and also a medical team too. If the major's having – problems, McKay might need Dr. Beckett's attentions.

Teyla nodded her assent, and turned to leave. "Keep in radio contact," Ford called after her. She raised a hand in acknowledgement, then began to run back the way they had come.

Ford watched her go, then turned back to see what was going on inside. To his horror, he saw that the Major and McKay were engaged in hand to hand combat, and incredibly, McKay seemed to be coming out on top. His mouth went dry when he saw McKay rip the P90 from Major Sheppard's grip, then use the butt end to club the major away from him.

He saw Sheppard stagger back and then his breath caught, when after a seemingly cursory examination of the weapon, McKay turned it round, and sent a burst of automatic fire towards Sheppard. As if in slow motion, he saw his commanding officer fly back from the force of the impact of the bullets impacting his body, and slide across the floor to end up sprawled and unmoving on his back. Then he saw the look on McKay's face, and realised he'd got it all wrong.

TBC


	4. Something Wicked part 4

SOMETHING WICKED part 4

Teyla made it back to the gate in a lot less time than it had taken to get to the building. Panting, out of breath, she dialled up Atlantis.

Dr. Weir was in the control room, discussing duty rosters with Peter Grodin when the gate began to power up. Grodin immediately raised the shield, then waited; Dr. Weir looked at him questioningly. Symbols appeared on the screen in front of him.

"It's Teyla's IDC," he said.

"Teyla's?" she repeated, puzzled, then, "Lower the iris. Hello, Teyla, it's Dr. Weir."

"Dr. Weir, we have a problem on the planet. Major Sheppard appears to be compromised."

"Did you say compromised?" questioned Elizabeth, thunderstruck.

"Yes. When I left Lieutenant Ford, he was holding Dr. MacKay at gunpoint. We were unable to get him to respond to our radio calls. Ford sent me back to get help."

Elizabeth closed her eyes briefly. " Teyla I think you should come through so that you can debrief properly, and we can make appropriate contingency plans." Because if Sheppard had lost it, God help McKay, she thought.

"Very well, I shall come through now."

Teyla tapped her earpiece. "Lieutenant Ford? Dr. Weir wishes me to return to Atlantis in order to fully explain what is happening. I shall return as soon as possible, and bring help." Without giving Ford a chance to update her, she stepped through the wormhole.

"That's great, but- " he realised he was talking to himself. "You'd better hurry then." He said to the empty air, and turned his attention to trying to get past the forcefield.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

On the other side of the gate, Teyla was met by Dr. Weir. "Come into the boardroom," she said, "I have Dr. Zelenka, Dr. Beckett and Sergeant Stackhouse waiting to hear what you have to say."

Obediently, Teyla followed, and sat at the spare place at the table. Only then did the adrenaline start to wear off, and she suddenly felt drained.

"Tell us what happened on the planet, Teyla," requested Dr. Weir.

Haltingly at first, Teyla began recounting events after they had stepped through the Stargate, ending at the point she and Ford had returned to the building to see McKay being threatened by the Major. "Lieutenant Ford tried to raise the Major on his radio, but he did not respond. We then tried to enter the building, but a forcefield had been established at the doorway. It stunned the lieutenant when he tried to enter. That was when he asked me to come for help."

She sat back, feeling tiredness catch up with her. For a moment, no-one said anything, then Dr. Weir broke the silence.

"And you have no idea what may have happened while you were away on perimeter duty?"

"No."

"Very well." There was a pause while Elizabeth steepled her fingers together, thinking. Then she said, " Sergeant Stackhouse, I'd like you to put together the equipment you will need to retrieve Dr. McKay and Major Sheppard. Dr. Beckett, you will accompany them in case of any injuries, or in case the Major needs your help. Dr. Zelenka, I'd like you to go too, in case they need help getting through the forcefield. Be ready to leave in thirty minutes. Teyla, do you feel able to return to the planet?"

"I am well enough," replied Teyla.

"Good. You will need to show them where to go. Take a few minutes to get something to eat. I'll see everyone back here in half an hour. Dismissed."

Thirty minutes later, Elizabeth Weir stood at the balcony overlooking the jumper bay, chewing her fingernails as she watched the jumper with Beckett, Zelenka, Stackhouse and Teyla aboard disappear through the wormhole.

"Bring them back in one piece," she whispered.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Major Sheppard, meanwhile was having problems of his own. He hadn't really believed that McKay would let Pete take him over to the extent that he had no control whatsoever. He'd tried talking 'Pete' down, stalling for time, hoping that when he was overdue to check in by radio, Ford would work out that something was going on and send for help. All he had to do was play for time….

Trouble was, 'Pete' wasn't playing along. After McKay had been 'taken over' for the second time, things had gone pretty much downhill. 'Pete was adamant that Sheppard was going to get him out, and Sheppard was equally as determined that: a, he wasn't letting McKay go without a fight, and b, he wasn't going to inflict 'Pete' on an unsuspecting universe. Besides, he had no idea how to deactivate the forcefield. He wasn't about to let 'Pete' know that. He had a hunch that once his usefulness was over, then so was his life.

The trouble was, 'Pete' wasn't the most patient of beings, and was getting more riled with each passing minute.(Come on Ford), thought the Major. He decided to try to find out more about what 'Pete' actually was, in the hope that it would give him something to work with.

"So, what did you do to get shut up in that contraption?"

"**_I_** did nothing."

"Come on. No-one gets shut away for nothing."

'Pete' looked at Sheppard, and his expression was so cold, Sheppard flinched. "You wish to know more about what I am. I will tell you, it will do you no good. You cannot stop me."

"Why not, they did."

The anger radiating from 'Pete' was palpable. "And when I find them, they will wish they had not. Long ago, this world was colonized by people such as yourselves. They were interested in improving their purity, and believed that they could rid themselves of the darker side of their personalities. They designed a way to 'remove' all the wickedness residing in the darker halves of their psyches. Then they selected one of their members, one who had not been successfully cured of his demons. Into that person they drained all the negativity they had collected. Then, using the same technology, they removed that person's consciousness, and placed it in the receptacle. Until your Dr. MacKay came and freed it. Now, I am free again, and I will not be returned."

There was silence while Sheppard digested what 'Pete' had said. "Okay," he said finally, "Why only you? Why not choose others to share the burden?"

"There were no others. I was the only one for whom the treatment was not successful. Now, you _will _deactivate the forcefield."

"I can't do that. There's the small matter of you hijacking Dr. MacKay."

"He is a casualty of war."

"Not in my book."

"You have no choice. I will return Dr. MacKay when I have another suitable body. Deactivate the forcefield before I am forced to harm you."

"You kill me, you're never getting out."

"I am not stupid, Major. Eventually more of your kind will come. They will only see you and Dr. MacKay in need of assistance. They will deactivate the forcefield, and I will be free. Of course by then, it will be too late for you."

"I'm expendable."

"You, perhaps, but Dr. MacKay? And the others who will come? Are you willing to risk them."

"If you get out, they'll be at risk whether I'm alive or not."

'Pete' moved so fast it took Sheppard by surprise. He responded by moving between 'Pete' and the exit. The creature bore down on him, and Sheppard continued backing up. Eventually, there was nowhere left to go.

"Give it up," suggested the major. "I am not getting you out of here."

"You have no choice. Deactivate the forcefield, or I shall cause Dr. McKay great pain."

"No."

Immediately, McKay screwed up his face, and began screaming, "Christ! Make it stop, make it stop!"

The major hardened his face. "No." he said again.

The screaming went up a notch. "Major! Please! Do what he asks!" shouted McKay in sobbing gasps.

"Okay! Okay! Stop. I'll do it." Sheppard just couldn't stand by and watch his friend suffer any longer.

Instantly, the screaming stopped, and the sudden silence seemed loud by comparison. Sheppard began to breathe again.

Pete looked at him, a sly smile on his face. "It is just too easy to manipulate you," he said. "Now, once again, the forcefield if you please."

Sheppard turned, and looked at the doorframe. At the bottom edge there was what appeared to be a small box. Maybe that was the mechanism. He squatted down, and began fiddling with it, mind working overtime. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Ford and Teyla had arrived back. "Good timing," he thought.

He risked a look up at Pete, who was standing over him, tapping a foot in impatience. The expression on his face was not pretty, and Sheppard knew he couldn't let this creature get free. He made his move.

He turned on his heels and in one fluid movement, launched himself up and out using his head to butt Pete in the abdomen. The force of the blow sent Pete reeling backwards, but he recovered incredibly quickly, and it didn't take long for Sheppard to realise he was in trouble. Pete fought back ferociously, with much more strength than Sheppard would have believed McKay possessed, and was rapidly gaining the upper hand. Sheppard was no novice at hand to hand, and had picked up a few moves on his travels that had nothing to do with the Marquess of Queensbury, or fair play, but Pete was relentless, recovering from each hit far more quickly than Sheppard would have believed possible. He himself was struggling, it was taking all his time just to hold his own. Of course, it had only been a short length of time since he was out cold on the floor, that might have something to do with it, but excuses didn't count.

Pete smacked him upside the head, and for a moment, Sheppard saw stars. It was in that moment when Pete ripped the P90 from the clip on Sheppard's vest, and the major realised that McKay had been taking notice during those firearms lessons he'd made him go to. After just a brief glance at the weapon, Pete had flicked off the safety, and even as Sheppard was scrambling away as fast as he could, (nowhere to go, no cover, his mind was telling him), pointed it and opened fire.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion at that point. Sheppard heard the chatter of the automatic fire, and felt the thud as the first round hit him in the shoulder. His body was now at the mercy of the laws of physics, and the force of the impact started him spinning. The next round glanced off the bottom of the vest, but the third took him squarely in the upper leg, knocking that appendage out from beneath him. He felt himself falling, and it seemed to go on forever………….

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

It was with a feeling of huge relief that Ford heard the sound of the puddle jumper as it flew overhead. He watched it circle, then land a few hundred yards from the building. He turned, and redoubled his efforts at getting the cover off the box he'd found near the floor on the doorframe. He'd scoured the entire area, and decided this was the mechanism keeping the forcefield going. If they couldn't figure out how to turn off the energy field, then the Major and Dr. McKay were royally screwed.

He kept glancing at the still form of the major, and each time didn't know whether to be disappointed or glad that he hadn't moved. Disappointed because it must mean the major was in a bad way, but relieved because at least he didn't know about it. After the Doctor had shot Sheppard, he'd seemed to totally lose it, stomping around and apparently yelling, every now and then stopping to let fly a kick at the major's still form. Ford couldn't hear anything, it seemed that the forcefield stopped anything from getting in or out; radio waves, sound, possibly even air, so he couldn't hear what was being said, but he could guess. For maybe the hundredth time he wondered just what in the hell had happened during that time he and Teyla had been absent. He was getting seriously worried that McKay was going to burst a blood vessel; he looked like a man on the verge of apoplexy.

The sound of running feet told him the cavalry had arrived, and he turned to see Stackhouse, Zelenka, Beckett and Teyla all shifting in his direction as fast as they could. He carried on with his knife, prying away at the box, praying they could get in there in time.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

There was yelling. It was loud. Couldn't they see he was trying to sleep for God's sake?

"McKay, cut it out." Was that his voice? How come it sounded as puny as a new born kitten?

He opened his eyes, and saw McKay striding around, shouting and cursing, he appeared to be psychotic. What was going on with him now?

"McKay…" he tried, louder, but his breath hitched in his chest, and wouldn't come properly. Gradually, memory filtered back. Languidly he turned his head to the entrance to see Ford, Teyla, Beckett,.. Beckett? Zelenka? And Stackhouse? Where had they come from? He could see them looking at him, but he couldn't hear what they were saying. They didn't look too happy though. He let his head roll in the other direction, to see McKay – 'Pete' looking at him. He didn't look too happy either.

"Hello," tried the major lazily.

I told you, major, it would just be a matter of time before more of your kind came. Now I can return Dr. McKay to you. Which one shall I take instead?"

All the memories came back in a tearing hurry, and along with them, so did the pain. Sheppard sucked in as big a breath as he could manage. He felt at a distinct disadvantage lying on the floor, and tried to sit up. Big mistake. Huge.

Pete watched him struggle, making no attempt to help. Eventually, Sheppard gave it up as a bad job, and looked up at Pete. "You're not.. having any.. of them." He said, as confidently as he could. "You…. still need me…. to get out of here."

"I think not. You friends out there will set me free, and the joke is, they won't even know what they are doing."

"They won't let you go once they realize you're not McKay."

"Who will tell them? You? You will be dead by the time they manage to deactivate the forcefield."

"I'm tougher than I look."

"You'd have to be. Most of you is flowing out onto the floor. I will merely suppress myself until we are away from here, then I shall take over Atlantis, and from there, well, we shall see."

Sheppard wondered if all the bad guys had the same person writing their lines, but contented himself with saying, "I'm not done yet."

Pete got up again, and began roaming around the room aimlessly, as if his body contained too much energy, and he had to keep moving in order to work it off. There was a thought there, Sheppard decided, but it kept eluding him, sliding away as he tried to grasp it. He decided he couldn't do this alone, needed help. With immense difficulty, he flopped over onto his front, and using his good right arm and undamaged left leg began crawling the short distance to the doorway, leaving a trail of blood behind him as he went. It took a while, he kept having to stop. Even boot camp hadn't been this difficult.

Booted feet appeared in front of him. He risked a look up and saw Pete looking down at him. Looking up like that made him dizzy. He rested his head on the cool floor. Pete squatted down beside him.

"What do you think you're doing major?" he asked in a singsong voice. Was it just imagination, or did Pete's personality sound like it was getting more unstable?

"I felt….. like going out… for a bit," panted Sheppard. It was a lot harder to breathe like this.

"Oh, here, let me help you." said Pete in that same singsong, falsely 'being nice' voice.

Sheppard's "No, thanks, I can manage," was drowned out by the cry he fought to hold back as Pete grabbed him by the shoulder straps on the vest, and dragged him the rest of the way, depositing him roughly against the wall nearest the door. His vision greyed out as he fought to stay conscious, fearing going under might be another mistake in his list of bad things to do today. On the positive side, he was upright, made it a lot easier to breathe, and he was near the door now, closer to help when it came. But, he had to try to warn them. McKay wasn't McKay. McKay was B.A.D. By looking to the side, he could see Ford. Help was so close, he could almost touch it. He almost cried with frustration; so close, so close and he couldn't do a thing to warn them, or maybe………… Blood soaked the front of his shirt, and his trouser leg. It was pooling, sluggishly on the floor beneath his shot-up leg. It made him feel nauseated looking at it, but it might just provide a way to warn them.

He glanced at Pete/McKay again. He was striding around the room once more, like Brownian motion, never ceasing, but more importantly, not looking at him right now. Dipping a finger in the sticky blood, he began to write….

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Teyla was the first to reach Ford where he was crouched by the door. Her face paled as she caught sight of the major lying motionless on the floor, blood slowly seeping out from beneath him. Beckett was a close second, and was rather more vocal.

"Bloody Hell!" he swore. "What's gone on here, then.?"

Ford quickly filled him in on what he had seen happen, McKay beating Sheppard at close quarters, then shooting him."

"How many times do you think he was hit?"

"No idea, sir, maybe three times? I couldn't really see properly."

"And has he moved at all since then?"

"No, sir. But Dr. McKay doesn't seem… right either."

Both men watched as McKay stormed around the room, hitting on walls, and occasionally, as he passed, the major.

"We've got to get in there, and soon. Major Sheppard won't stand a chance if this keeps up much longer."

Ford agreed, and turned back to the box which was showing signs of giving where he had been patiently chipping away at it. Suddenly there was aloud 'crack' and the cover came off completely, displaying pulsating tubing, flashing with white light. Zelenka appeared at Ford's shoulder, and gratefully Ford shifted out the way to allow the scientist better access.

He stood, easing the kinks out of his back where he had been crouched by the box for so long.

"Lieutenant, would you mind telling me about the forcefield. I will have a better idea of how to deactivate it if you could tell me what you know."

Ford described what had happened when he had inadvertently rushed into it, Zelenka nodding as he did so, absently pushing at some of the tubing with a long handled probe.

"Think you can deactivate it sir," he asked.

"Yes, yes, probably with a little time."

Beckett came to look at what they were doing. "Aye, well time isn't what the major has a lot of right now," he said grimly.

"In that case, if you will stop talking, and let me work…." Zelenka bent back down to the mechanism, muttering.

Stackhouse called," Lieutenant Ford, the major is awake!"

Ford, Beckett and Teyla watched while Sheppard and McKay 'chatted'. They could all see that McKay was definitely not himself, and Teyla drew in a sharp intake of breath when she saw the major roll over and begin to crawl their way. Ford clenched his fists when he saw McKay haul the major to the door, and dump him there, striding off again.

Teyla said, "Look, the major is writing something."

Ford and Beckett squatted down to see what it was the major was trying to tell them. It was taking some time, Sheppard kept having to stop, and he was writing upside down to him. The blood loss was taking it's toll, and even from here, Beckett could see the major was getting shocky.

"You need to lie down, lad," he murmured. "lie down and get your legs up."

The message was almost done.

MCKAY…..POSSESSED….EVIL…DON'T…LET…HIM….OUT….

John's finger slid on the last letter, and he could feel he was almost spent. His body began to slide down the wall, when the thought about McKay hit him like a brick wall.

Hypoglycaemia! McKay suffered from hypoglycaemia, if he carried on burning up energy at the rate he was doing, it wouldn't be long before his blood sugar began to drop, and he would eventually fain – pass out.

At that moment Sheppard became aware that the ranting had stopped. Squinting up, he saw Pete staring at him and the message he'd written. "Oh, very well done, major," said Pete, still in that nicey nicey voice that promised bad things to come. He wasn't wrong. Pete bent down and grabbed handfuls of Sheppard's shirt. He began to shake him, his face red, "Don't do that ever again!" he yelled, spittle spraying. Sheppard tried to push his hands off, but didn't have the strength. He cringed, thinking that this time Pete was going to kill him, but instead, Pete let go, dropping him hard to the floor, still conscious, but beyond doing anything much to help himself

Yep, Sheppard knew it, Pete's personality was on a downward spiral, and was rapidly getting out of his control. _Hurry up, Ford,_ he thought to himself, '_can't hold on much longer'._

………………………………………………………………………………………………


	5. Something Wicked part 5

SOMETHING WICKED part 5

Zelenka gave a soft grunt of satisfaction. "Got it," he said, "The forcefield should be deactivated now."

"Good, " replied Ford. "We go in together. Teyla, Stackhouse and myself will restrain Dr. McKay. Dr. Beckett, that will leave you free to attend to the major. Dr. Zelenka-"

"I will assist Dr. Beckett."

"Ok. Everybody got what they're supposed to be doing? Right, let's gear up."

He waited while Drs. Beckett and Zelenka collected the equipment they would need. Stackhouse checked his P90, Ford caught his eye, and said gruffly, "You won't need that."

"No sir," replied Stackhouse, but he checked it anyway.

When he thought they were all ready, he said "On the count of three. I'll take point, Stackhouse, you cover our six." He moved to stand just beside the doorway, then counted down using hand signals. At the last signal, he moved forward and led the way as they rushed the doorway.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

From his place on the floor, Sheppard watched warily as Pete strode around the room, like a caged animal. The shouting was getting worse, reducing to complete gibberish. McKay's face was red, his voice hoarse from the continuous ranting. Every so often he would come and squat down by the major, alternating threats with false cajolery to get the major to deactivate the field. It was no go though. Sheppard knew he was finished if Ford didn't come through soon. He no longer had the ability to move himself, his hands were numb, and he was holding onto consciousness by sheer act of will. His breathing had taken on an unpleasant gurgling sound, which he knew was due to his lungs filling with fluid. It was just a matter of time. He no longer cared what happened to him, he just worried that the team would be unable to stop Pete: that somehow he'd fool them into thinking he was McKay until it was too late.

He became aware that the continuous yelling was faltering. He watched, detached, as Pete staggered across to him on unsteady legs.

"What is happening to this Body?" Pete asked him.

"No…energy," Sheppard ground out.

" I feel …..strange." Pete grabbed at Sheppard again, but there was less force behind it now. Sheppard's lips curved up in a small smile.

"Good one, Rodney," he whispered. He never thought he'd be so glad to see Rodney go hypo.

Pete got up again, and staggered away from the doorway, not realising Zelenka had deactivated the field. He whirled round at the sound of Ford's team coming through the entrance, but was not coordinated enough to put up much resistance. He still gave Teyla, Ford and Stackhouse a run for their money though.

They wrestled Pete to the ground, and held him there face down, while Teyla put restraints around his wrists and ankles. Once done, they hauled him over to the pedestal where he writhed, hurling abuse at the three of them.

Once he was sure Teyla and Stackhouse had McKay under control, Ford made his way over to where Beckett and Zelenka were working on the major. Beckett looked unusually grim.

"How is the major doing?" he asked the doctor.

"He'll do a lot better when we can get him back to Atlantis. There's not a lot more I can do for him here. I'm replacing some of the fluids he's lost, and in a moment I'll put in a chest drain, but he needs to get to surgery soon."

Ford didn't envy the major one bit. "Before we can move the major, we're going to need to sedate Dr. McKay."

A faint voice from the floor caught his attention. Both he and Beckett knelt down beside Sheppard so they could hear what he had to say.

"Could you repeat that, please sir? I didn't catch it."

"I...said, that's not McKay."

Beckett and Ford exchanged a glance that didn't go unnoticed by Sheppard.

" 'm not crazy. It's …. McKay's body,….. but something else's…..mind."

"Perhaps you need more oxygen," suggested Beckett, kindly.

Zelenka watched as Sheppard became more frustrated. "I think the major is right," he said. "Rodney would never behave like this. I don't think he could cause such harm to the major. And we don't know what happened while you and Teyla were separated from Dr. McKay and The Major originally. We must listen to what he has to say."

Sheppard gave Zelenka a tired 'thumbs up'. "What I'm trying…to say," he paused to hitch a breath, " Is McKay …..messed with that….pedestal thingy. Something…. came out and ….took him over."

"Another entity is controlling Rodney?" Beckett still didn't seem convinced.

John contented himself with nodding.

"How do we get it out then?"

"McKay… pushed the central… panel down. There was a lot of noise…..we were knocked out. When we…..came round, I was me,…. He was ….Pete."

Ford and Beckett shared another look. "Pete?" mouthed Ford.

"So, if we made McKay press down on the panel again, it might reverse the process," mused Zelenka.

"It's worth trying, I don't know what else to do," responded Beckett. He felt a tug on his sleeve, and looked down.

"The thing …possessing Rodney…isn't gonna be …. happy to let him go. Be careful."

Ford nodded, rose, and strode over to where McKay lay. Beckett felt the pressure on his arm again.

"No matter what…happens to me…" whispered Sheppard, fighting for breath, "Don't let McKay…beat himself…up over it. Not… his fault." The hand grasping Beckett's sleeve slipped as the major lost the fight to stay awake. Beckett's expression turned to one of concern as he replaced the oxygen mask that Sheppard had removed in order to warn them about McKay.

Shouting alerted him to the potential trouble brewing at the pedestal. He watched as Stackhouse and Teyla pulled McKay/Pete's resisting body upright and tried to get him to press down on the central panel. McKay/Pete was screaming abuse, throwing his weight from one side to the other in an attempt to dislodge the two holding him, until Ford came forward, and, with the briefest of hesitations slugged him in the jaw. Stunned, McKay was no further trouble as between the three of them they managed to lean him up and push his hands down on the panel.

There was an immediate reaction. The light began to dim, wind rushed around the room as if a hurricane was blowing through it. A sound like a million angry wasps buzzed through the air, and the floor shook. McKay/Pete became aware enough to know what was happening. "No!" He screamed in an anguished voice. "No, please! Please don't make me go back! I won't! I can't!"

The buzzing grew louder, and the seismic disturbances worsened until Beckett began to fear for the integrity of the building. He leaned over Sheppard's body in an effort to protect the major should the ceiling begin to collapse. Through the vibrating room, he could see Ford staggering around trying to keep his balance, while Teyla and Stackhouse clung onto McKay like drowning men holding a lifebelt, also making sure he stayed where he was.

The noise escalated rapidly to a whining shriek, then suddenly there was silence. McKay collapsed forwards across the pillar, taking Teyla and Stackhouse with him. Ford sat down heavily, breathing hard against the nausea the rolling floor had caused. Zelenka came forward from where he had been holding the wall for support, ready to help if needed, and moved to check on Rodney. After a quick check on the major, Beckett went across to help him. All of them were breathing hard.

"That was…..weird," commented Ford, putting into words what they were all feeling. "How's Dr. McKay? I didn't hurt him too much when I slugged him, did I?" he questioned beginning to feel guilty that McKay still wasn't coming round.

"No, no," replied Beckett, "I think he's just shut down out of self protection. And maybe his blood sugar's a wee bit low," he added as an afterthought. "Zelenka, would you pass me over ma bag. I've got some glucose in there should help."

At that moment, McKay began to stir. "Unnnngh." He said incoherently.

He opened his eyes to see Beckett staring down at him. "Hello?" he said, unsure.

"Hello, Rodney. How're you feeling?"

"Hungry?" responded Rodney.

"Aye," smiled Beckett," I guess we've got our Rodney back." He helped Rodney to sit up, then passed him a power bar. "Here you go," he said. "Get this down you, and you'll start to feel a lot better."

McKay looked round uncertainly. "What happened?" he asked, accepting the power bar and tearing off the wrapper.

"What do you remember?" asked Zelenka, coming across to take over from Beckett so the doctor could return to Sheppard.

"Uh, I remember the major telling me I was possessed. Where is he by the way?" he caught sight of Sheppard's body. "Oh no." he said, forgetting the food in his hand. "Tell me I didn't do that."

"No, Rodney, it was'nae you that did it. Or at least, you weren't responsible at the time," stated Beckett, remembering what Sheppard had told him.

"Oh, my god." replied Rodney quietly, staring at Sheppard.

"Dr. McKay?" asked Ford. "Do you think you can walk? Only we really should get the Major back to Atlantis."

"What?" said McKay, not taking his eyes off Sheppard. "Oh, yes, yes I can walk." He started to get up, but stumbled, feeling dizzy.

"Eat your power bar, Rodney," said Zelenka, moving to assist him.

"I'm not hungry," said McKay, flatly.

"Hungry or not, eat it," commanded Beckett ,"Or we'll end up having to carry you back as well."

Thus reprimanded, McKay did as he was told, and miserably ate the food, realising the sense of what Carson was telling him, but having no appetite for it whatsoever. He accepted the help Zelenka gave him in getting back to the jumper, but once there, sat in the rear compartment watching Beckett working on the major in uncharacteristic silence.

Beckett and Zelenka, while having their hands full keeping the major stabilised for the short trip back through the Stargate nonetheless watched McKay covertly knowing that despite the fact that it hadn't been his consciousness that had injured the major, it was his hands and his knowledge that the entity had used to inflict such damage, and as such, McKay was now well onto a major guilt trip about the whole thing.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Two days later, Major Sheppard was beginning to come back to the land of the living. Beckett was gradually reducing the dose of the sedatives he'd been using to keep him under while his chest was healing, but now he wanted him to wake so he could remove the tube he'd put in John's throat to assist with his breathing during the initial stages.

At first, it was just noises, then sensations and now, finally he was opening his eyes to the dim lighting of the infirmary. Beckett was encouraging him, and Sheppard wanted to tell him to shut up and let him go back to sleep where everything didn't hurt so much, but that damned annoying tube was there preventing him from saying anything. At Beckett's insistence John finally coughed and spat the damn thing out, trying not to swallow as his throat was so sore. A couple of sips of water from a glass with a straw in it eased some of the soreness, and finally he was able to speak.

"Rodney?" he croaked.

He didn't miss the shadow that crossed Beckett's face.

"Where is he?"

"Take it easy, now, major. Rodney's fine, we got him back alright and everything, but he's been a bit preoccupied since we came back."

"How long?"

"You've been out of it a couple of days now, son."

"Can I see him?"

"Yes, you can have visitors now. They've been queuing at the door since we came back. I'll just go and let them in for a few minutes."

Beckett left, and John lay back, wondering about McKay. A nurse came in, and helped him to sit up a little, wincing in sympathy as sutures pulled and the damaged bits let him know they were there. He took a quick inventory of his hurts. Chest had some pretty alarming tubes going in or coming out or whatever, lots of wadding and bandages: his leg was elevated on….. ewww screws and things coming out of it. He quickly replaced the sheet, noticing the other, more personal bits of tubing leaving his body. Standard for the course those. That settled it then. He wasn't escaping from here in a hurry.

The sound of the screens being pulled back jerked him awake from the light doze he'd slipped into without even knowing it. He opened his eyes to see Teyla, Ford and Elizabeth standing there in the awkward way people do when they're not quite sure what to say.

"Hello," he started for them.

"Welcome back, major," said Elizabeth.

"Are you feeling better?" asked Teyla.

"Thank you, and yes," he replied. "And thank you to you, Ford for getting us all out," he said. Ford blushed a little, and mumbled something about doing the same for him.

They chatted for a while, and Sheppard gave Elizabeth a quick rundown of events on the planet from his point of view. He was tiring quickly, but before he dozed off again, said, "Where's McKay?"

"He's been here as often as Dr. Beckett will let him in," replied Elizabeth. "I'm sure he'll stop by later to say hello."

But McKay didn't ,at least not while John was awake. Finally, he'd had enough, and asked for Ford to visit.

When Ford eventually came, all Sheppard could say was; "Well, about time. I need you to spring me out of here for a while."

Ford looked aghast. "But sir-" he began.

"Look, lieutenant, I've been here for days, and McKay hasn't seen me even once." He held up a hand as Ford made to interrupt. "I know he comes here at night when I'm asleep, but I want to see him for myself. I know what he's about. And none of these- prison guards will let me out for five minutes. I'm going stir crazy here."

Ford's lips thinned, but he knew where the major was coming from. And McKay had all but driven his team to suicide these past few days. "Ok," he said. "I'll help you, but when Beckett finds out, I'm telling him you made it a direct order. Then he can sneak up on you with the extra-large needles."

"Yes!" Sheppard punched the air. "Come on then, what are we waiting for?"

With much cursing and grumbling, Ford eventually had Sheppard installed in a wheelchair, and, checking to make sure the coast was clear, made a quick exit from the infirmary. Beckett watched them go, shaking his head, but knowing that McKay needed Sheppard to talk to him to stop the demons. "But still… " he muttered to himself as he went to look out the packet of needles kept to intimidate recalcitrant patients.

McKay was sat in his lab, morosely holding a piece of ancient equipment that he hadn't managed to get to work yet. His eyes weren't really focused on the task in hand, and he didn't look up as the door opened.

"Want me to try my gene on that, Rodney?" Sheppard's voice cut through the still air.

McKay almost fell off his stool in surprise. "You?" he managed. "What are you doing here."

"Well, you won't come and see me, so I had to come and see you. Thanks Ford. Mckay'll take me back."

Grinning, Ford left them to it, just glad he wasn't going to have to face up to the wrath of an irate doctor when he found out that Sheppard was missing.

For a while, there was silence, then both of them spoke at once.

"Sorry, sorry," apologised McKay, you go first.

"I've been wondering where you were," stated the major.

"Well, there's been lots to do, you know, things to test…." He gestured vaguely around the lab. His hand dropped down again, and he faltered to silence, not meeting Sheppard's gaze.

"And here I was thinking you were avoiding me."

"No, uh, no, just….busy." The hand holding the device clenched tightly, and wasn't missed by Sheppard, who decided on the direct approach.

"When did you last have a good night's sleep, Rodney?"

This time there was no eye contact at all. "Um… well, I've been-"

"- busy. I know." The major leaned forward. "It wasn't your fault, Rodney, it wasn't you in there doing those things."

Rodney looked up, and this time did meet Sheppard's gaze. "Of course it was my fault!" he said hotly. "If it hadn't been for me meddling, thinking I knew everything about everything, we wouldn't have got into that mess in the first place." His voice dropped almost to a whisper. "And you wouldn't have almost died."

"Oh, come on. It's not the first time I've been shot."

"Really?" Then " We almost lost you again, major, and this time it was because of me."

"Look, you do what you have to do. If some of the things we're investigating turn round and snap us in the ass, then that's the price we have to pay."

"Not if it gets you killed we don't."

"But it didn't. Get me killed I mean."

"We came damn close, major, and what about the next time? Maybe we won't be so lucky. We can't afford to lose you."

"It could just as easily have been me that the thing took over. I could have been the one using my gene to find out if there was a ZPM under there, and we definitely can't afford to lose you."

McKay looked down at his device again, saying nothing. Exasperated, Sheppard went on.

"All I'm saying is this whole expedition is a risk. We didn't know what we were going to find when we came out here. God, if it hadn't been for that failsafe, we'd all be so much fishfood now. We take risks every day, and that's how this whole thing works. If you're going to wallow in a major guilt trip every time something doesn't go quite the way you want it to, you'd better quit now."

Exhausted, he sat back in the wheelchair, squirming slightly to try and find a more comfortable position. Without success. There was another lengthy pause, then McKay said indignantly, "I see your point. And I do not – wallow- as you put it. I …contemplate the situation minutely."

Relieved, Sheppard sat back and folded his arms. "You do so wallow."

"Don't ."

"Do"

"I do not."

How long that would have gone on for was anybody's guess, but the sound of a throat being cleared stopped them both in their tracks.

"When you're quite finished," came a soft Scottish burr, speaking deceptively gently "I believe Major Sheppard has an appointment with one of these." He produced the largest syringe and needle either of them had ever seen.

Sheppard blanched. "He was just on his way back," said McKay hastily, putting down the device, and grasping the handles of Sheppard's wheelchair.

The major looked up at him in disbelief. "You're not going to send me back to that?" he asked, horrified.

"Oh, but I am, before he finds another one of those for my next physical." He began to push the chair determinedly back in the direction of the infirmary.

"Really Rodney… no, honestly, haven't you got any thing for me to test for you, huh…"

The voices faded down the corridor, and smiling slightly, Carson Beckett followed them, pocketing the vetinary syringe he'd included for just this kind of situation….

END


End file.
